Active distribution of high-voltage power for ultrasound transducers

Abstract

The high voltage drive for the transducer of an ultrasonic transducer probe is provided by an active supply that monitors the high voltage supplied to the transducer by means of feedback, and responds to a decline in voltage during high voltage transmission by coupling charge from a capacitor to the high voltage supply line of the probe, thereby preventing a precipitous decline in the high voltage. Preferably the active supply and the capacitor are located in the probe connector enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer located in a probe enclosure; 
 an active supply, comprising:
 a linear regulator; 
 an input coupled to a high voltage supply; and 
 an output coupled to the ultrasonic transducer; and 
 
 a voltage feedback line coupled between the ultrasonic transducer and the active supply, 
 wherein the linear regulator is configured to maintain an output voltage supplied to the ultrasonic transducer during a transition from a first ultrasound modality at a first electrical load to a second ultrasound modality at a second electrical load based on a feedback voltage from the voltage feedback line. 
 
     
     
       2. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , comprising a capacitor coupled to the input of the active supply. 
     
     
       3. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , comprising a reference voltage source coupled to the active supply. 
     
     
       4. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , comprising a probe connector coupled to an end of a probe cable coupled to the probe enclosure,
 wherein the active supply is located in the probe connector. 
 
     
     
       5. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the capacitor is located in the probe connector. 
     
     
       6. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 5 , wherein the probe cable comprises a high voltage supply conductor coupled between the active supply and the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the voltage feedback line is located in the probe cable, and wherein the high voltage supply is located in an ultrasound system mainframe. 
     
     
       7. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the active supply comprises an operational transconductance amplifier configured to adjust the output voltage supplied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the feedback voltage from the voltage feedback line. 
     
     
       8. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 7 , comprising a pass transistor configured to control conduction between the capacitor and the active supply output. 
     
     
       9. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , comprising a transmitter coupled to the ultrasonic transducer,
 wherein the active supply is coupled to provide high voltage to the transmitter. 
 
     
     
       10. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the active supply is located in the probe enclosure. 
     
     
       11. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the active supply is located in an ultrasound system mainframe. 
     
     
       12. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the active supply further comprises a discharge circuit, coupled to the capacitor, to discharge the capacitor when the probe is disconnected from the system mainframe. 
     
     
       13. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the active supply is configured to output a first high voltage to the ultrasonic transducer; and the system further comprises:
 a second active supply having an input coupled to the high voltage supply and an output coupled to the ultrasonic transducer such that the active supply is configured to provide a second high voltage to the ultrasonic transducer. 
 
     
     
       14. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 13 , further comprising a switch coupled between the high voltage supply and the input to each active supply. 
     
     
       15. The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 13 , further comprising a switch located between the output of each active supply and the ultrasonic transducer, and a switch located between a feedback input of each active supply and the ultrasonic transducer.